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Chase County pulls in 15 ‘Best of Class’ awards at conference contest

By Jan SchultzThe Imperial Republican North Platte St. Pat’s was site for the SPVA conference vocal and instrumental music contest for high school students March 24. Chase County brought home a total of 15 “Best of Class” awards among the 30 given out this year. “Best of Class” awards are given to the top overall soloists, small groups, large groups, show choir and jazz band among the six schools in the conference. Of note, Chase County’s 9th St. Singers collected “Best of Class” for show choirs, which marked the 13th consecutive year Chase County has captured that award. Chase County Directors Richard Munson, instrumental, and Randy Hayes, vocal, traveled with the students to last Tuesday’s contest. Site for the contest rotates each year. Besides Chase County, other schools in the SPVA conference include Hershey, Sutherland, Perkins County, Maxwell and St. Pat’s. Here are Chase County’s contest results:Vocal ‘Best of Class’Kacia Smith—girls’ low voice.Lucas Bauerle—boys’ low voice.Thomas Sullivan—boys’ medium voice.Tyler Talbott—boys’ high voice.Tyler Talbott/Thomas Sullivan—boys’ duet.Tyler Talbott/Thomas Sullivan/Chevy Smith/Paul Gaschler—boys’ quartet.Boys in 9th St. Singers—boys’ large ensemble.Morgan Strand/Dee Dee Pursley/Tyler Talbott/Paul Gaschler—mixed quartet.Morgan Strand/Molly Strand/Miranda Knobbe/Megan Bauerle/Jilanne German/Jacob Boggs/Tyler Talbott/Paul Gaschler/Thomas Sullivan/Lucas Bauerle—mixed large ensemble.9th St. Singers—show choir. All of the above also earned superior (I) ratings. The “Best of Class” are selected from students from all six schools who earned the superior (I) rating.

Instrumental ‘Best of Class’Chevy Smith—snare drum solo.Alex Strand—trumpet solo.Kerry Swanson—baritone sax solo.Morgan Strand/Steven Fish/Adam Moline/Kerry Swanson—saxophone quartet.Molly Strand/Morgan Strand—mixed duet (soprano sax and clarinet). All of the above also earned superior (I) ratings. The “Best of Class” are selected from students from all six schools who earned the superior (I) rating. In some of the instrumental divisions, only one superior rating was given. All soloists in both the instrumental and vocal divisions who were also the “Best of Class” received a special medal for their top placings.